Boyfriend Jumps to Death After Girlfriend Demands More Christmas Shopping

Tao Hsiao was pronounced dead at the scene after jumping in the Chinese mall

A man has committed suicide in China after his girlfriend suggested they visit one more clothes shop at the end of a five-hour shopping trip.

Tao Hsiao, 38, was walking around the shopping mall in Xuzhou, in east China's Jiangsu province, when he became embroiled in a fractious argument with his girlfriend when she suggested that they continue shopping.

The argument ended when Hsiao threw his shopping bags on the floor and jumped over the balcony, falling seven floors to his death. Witnesses reported that he was overheard saying to his girlfriend that they had done enough shopping with more bags than they could carry. However, his girlfriend demanded that they go into one more shop where shoes were on special offer.

An eyewitness quoted in the Mail said: "He told her she already had enough shoes, more shoes that she could wear in a lifetime and it was pointless buying any more.

"She started shouting at him accusing him of being a skinflint and of spoiling Christmas, it was a really heated argument."

Hsiao caused shoppers to flee when his body hit the ground floor of the mall. He was pronounced dead upon impact and his body was stretchered through the complex.

A shopping spokesman said: "His body was removed fairly quickly.

"He actually landed on one of the stalls below and then fell to the floor so although the store was damaged it meant he didn't hit anybody.

"This is a tragic incident, but this time of year can be very stressful for many people."

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